The Binding String

T H I R T Y - O N E

"But how will you make bhature?" The next question from Raman stopped Ishita and she looked at her daughter who must be famished by now.

"I will manage it." She shrugged off his question and asked him to take Roohi off from her lap so that she can cook bhature. "Are you mad or what? You will not do anything now."

"Roohi is hungry Raman and Neelu is not going to come today as well." Ishita argued not convinced with her husband.

"Roohi do you like eating kulche  (baked maida bread) na? Papa will ask the storekeeper to deliver it to out place and we will eat chole kulche today." Roohi clapped her hand happily and she jumped down following her Papa who started to serve dinner in bowls calling the bakery shop to deliver the essentials. The punjabi father daughter indeed had party that night and they included reluctant madrasi mother who wondered all the time how chole can be better than sambhar.

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Next day Raman Ishita planned so many activities for Roohi but one thing which Ishita decided to keep was her learning hours. She continued to make her do one page for Cursive Handwriting Page daily and few one digit addition and subtraction for mathematics. Ishita observed one thing that Roohi is a good learner but she isn't so much keen to learn new things. She enjoys watching birds or playing with Pluto but she is a kid and if she is not feel like to study than it's her responsibility to develop her interest in same.

"Ishita you promised Roohi that you will not send her to school. I think you did extreme." Raman and Ishita was taking their usual cups of coffee's around five of evening when he drew her attention.

"I know but if she is not willing to go than we cannot force her." Ishita replied softly with little confused expressions.

"Do you tried asking her regarding school matter?" Raman further asked resting his one thigh on another.

"Not yet. I think we should give her time. She starts to cry whenever I try asking her about it. Maybe she is scared from someone." Ishita shared her observation keeping the empty cup and soccer of tea on the table. The couple sat looking at each other saying nothing with a mind occupied with thoughts of Roohi.

"Where is she by the way?" Raman asked after a pause of few seconds.

"Went to play with her best friend Pluto." Ishita chuckled thinking about the bond her daughter share with neighbour's dog Pluto. Her phone beeped with message and she laughed reading the text, "See Mukharjee Aunty texted. She and Uncle took Roohi and Pluto to play downstairs." Raman nodded his head in affirmation gazing outside of room, the weather was pleasant today, monsoon going to hit soon the air was cool and pleasant. He looked at Ishita who was sitting in front of him in causals letting her hairs flow along the winds. He often wondered how she managed to keep such long tresses which were so beautiful and enchanting the way they were years back. He wanted to move his hands in her tendrils and maybe kiss her occasionally but he dismissed his thoughts knowing well that it would be wrong to express his desires knowing well their relationship is recovering in its in early stage.

"Ishita, would you like to go for walk with me? The wind seem nice today." Ishita nodded her head looking outside, the silent walks sounds good and she was hopeful to spend some good time with him with the help of this walk. She ran towards her room and soon emerged outside wearing an A-lining kurti along leggings, she looked at Raman with sad face and he moved towards her with frown.

"What happened?" He asked with frown scanning her from head to toe.

"These buttons, I cannot button this up." She showed her injured hand which burnt last night, Raman nodded his head and realised the first five buttons yet to do, the parted kurti was giving him view of her creamy skin, the black push up bra peeping out through the kurti giving him view of the beautiful cleavage making him go hard.